Portable beverage conditioning and dispensing apparatus



June 12, 1956 G. COPEMAN PORTABLE BEVERAGE CONDITIONING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed 001. 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR zzara 6. (cl im/7M ATTOfi/VA'KS June 12, 1956 G. COPEMAN 2,749,719

PORTABLE BEVERAGE CONDITIONING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed OCO. 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T112211. E E IE1. 5 m l) f\ 42 i 4 /a X f H I /2 40 1N VEN TOR.

14 01 0 6. (m r/144M PORTABLE BEVERAGE CONDITIONING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Lloyd G. Copeman, Metamora, Mich, assignor to Copeman Laboratories Company, Flint, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application October 17, 1952, Serial No. 315,249

8 Claims. (Cl. 62-915) This invention relates to a portable beverage conditioning and dispensing apparatus. Devices of this type are shown in Patents 2,096,088, October 19, 1937, and 2,182,- 116, December 5, 1939, granted to L. G. Copeman.

One of the main objects of the present invention resides in the use of solidified CO2 as a cooling and conditioning medium, said solid CO2 being directly immersed in the liquid to be conditioned, cooled and dispensed, but without reducing the liquid to a relatively low temperature. In its preferred form, the liquid, which in most cases would be beer, is lowered to and maintained at substantially 40 F.

Previous devices, and especially those in the above patents, have consisted of an inner retaining chamber for the solid carbon dioxide within a liquid containing chamber. The CO2 from the sublimating solid is released at the bottom of the containers so that it will bubble through the liquid. Relief valves have been provided at the top of the outer container to prevent over pressure, and a common top for the containers has been provided.

The present invention contemplates an improved construction which avoids the old type of relief valve, which sometimes had a tendency to become clogged or stuck and as a result caused accidents due to the explosion of the outer unit.

It is, therefore, an object to provide a container which will relieve dangerous pressures without fail, thus positively eliminating the possibility of explosion.

Another difiiculty with the previous constructions has been that in order to re-charge the unit with a new supply of refrigerant it was necessary to relieve all the pressure in the unit and required a lapse of time before pressure would again build up to a conditioning point.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a construction wherein the refrigerant container can be charged independently of the pressure within the main container, and it has also been discovered that it is unnecessary to release the gas at the bottom of the liquid to be cooled. CO2 will be absorbed in adequate quantities in the liquid being conditioned when applied to the surface of the liquid under pressure. Thus, the bubbling of the gas through the liquid is avoided, and the formation of foam on the top of the beer is reduced to a minimum.

Another feature of the present invention which is an improvement over previous devices is the adaptation of the unit to different operating temperatures. The device is especially adapted to the dispensing of beer in portable units at such gatherings as ball games and other sporting events. Due to this fact, it will be evident that the device will be operating under many different conditions.

The atmospheric temperature may vary 20 to 25 degrees in different parts of the country and on different days. On hot days sales will be more frequent and also the atmospheric temperature will tend to heat up the nited States Patent 2,749,719 Patented June 12, 1956 ice contents of the jar faster so that it is necessary to get more refrigerating effect.

The present invention contemplates in cooperation with the other features above enumerated an adjustable refrigeration unit which can vary the heat conductivity between the cooling chamber and the liquid contents of the unit. Thus, on extremely hot days the conductivity of the unit can be at a maximum point and on cooler days the unit may be so arranged that ice will form around the inner container, thus insulating the liquid to be cooled from the extremely cold CO2 chamber.

Briefly, the invention consists of an outer portable container having a covering top on which is mounted a C02 container projectable into the main container and having an opening available from the main top.

Release ports at the top of the inner container controlled by check valve arrangement admit pressure to the top of the liquid, and a special clamping device which holds the main top on the main container permits venting of abnormal pressures as they build up by lifting of the main top in much the same way as steam might escape from a tea kettle cover. The ingenious clamping device for the main cover makes this escape possible without losing the pressure within the main container. Associated with the inner CO2 container is a fin arrangement adjustable in its etfect to conform to cooling requirements for any particular situation.

Drawings accompany the specification, and the various views thereof may be briefly described as:

Figure 1, an elevation of a portable unit showing the general construction in assembly.

Figure 2, a plan view of the device showing the relationship of the parts.

Figure 3, a side elevation of the top and cooling unit partially in section illustrating the manner in which the various elements are associated.

Figure 4, a sectional view showing the details of the top relief valve clamp.

Figure 5, a view showing the unit as adapted to a carrying container.

Figure 6, a view of a cooling adapter which may be removably applied to the cooling container.

Figure 7, a view of a modified collapsing fin type of heat conductor for the cooling container.

Figure 8, a sectional view of the device shown in Figure 7 with the fins collapsed.

Referring to the drawings, in Figure 1 a main container 10 has a cover 12 and a dispensing spout 14. On the cover 12 a separate threaded plug 16 allows re-filling of the main container 10. A large plug 18 is removable to allow filling of the container for Dry Ice or solid C02.

The head portion 12 has a sealing relation with the top of the container 10, as shown in Figure 4, with a suitable gasket 19 arranged between the two parts. In an annular groove 20 on the container 10 a metal band 22 mounts three pivoted latch members 24 spaced equally around the circumference of the unit. These latch members are pivoted on the band 22 at 26, and each has a leg portion 28 which will overlie the head 12 when the device is assembled.

On the leg portion 28 is mounted a small cylinder 30 to house a spring-pressed plunger 32 which projects through the leg 28 at 34. A spring 36 within the cylinder 30 cooperates with a ring flange 38 on the plunger 32 to urge the plunger downwardly into an annular recess 40 in the top face of the head 12.

From the above, the operation of the device will be apparent. The latches 24 may be removed from the head portion by compressing the spring 36 to free the head from the container. When the head is re-applied, the latches are swung upwardly and the plunger will re-engage 3 the groove 40. A suitable valve 42 is provided on the head 12 to control the outlet spout 14.

Mounted on the head 12 below the sealing plug *8 is a container 50 which'projects down into the container 19 for the purpose of holding Dry Ice which by conduction will cool the beverage within the container. Suitable fins, as will later be described, may be applied to the container 50 to control the heat transfer to the liquid.

In Figure 5, I have shown a device which can be used for carrying a cool beverage about for dispensing at Will. The head portion 12 is the same as that described and illustrated in connection with Figure l.

The tank 60 is a longer tank, and the cooling carbon dioxide container 62 would be longer to project into the tank 60. A dispensing tube shown at 64 in Figure 1 has a counterpart'at 66 in Figure 5, the latter being longer to fit the larger tank. A dispensing tube 68 can be attached to the spout 14 to allow easier filling of cups with the cooled beverage. The tube is clamped at 70, where it will drip into a small container 72.

As shown in Figure 3, at the bottom of the container 62 a slip cylinder 80 has a sliding fit with frictional engagement. On this slip cylinder 80 are horizontal fins 82 and 84, shown best in Figure 6. These fins will conduct heat from the liquid to the sublimating Dry Ice within the container 62.

On extremely warm days, when the device is being used outside, this slip cylinder 80 can be applied to the carbon dioxide cylinder 62 to increase the heat conductivity.

On cooler days, when liquid is not being dispensed at such a rapid rate and it is not necessary to cool the liquid quite so fast, the slip cylinder 80 may be removed. This may cause ice to form on the cylinder 62 which will further inhibit the heat conduction.

Another apparatus for obtaining this variation in heat conduction is shown in Figures 7 and 8. This consists of foldable fins 86 mounted directly on a carbon dioxide container 9'0, these fins being so hinged on the container that they can be folded down close to it or extended directly out in a radial manner. By adjusting the fins 86, the heat conduction can be controlled to a small amount or a large amount.

Pressure which builds up in the carbon dioxide container 62 in previous devices has been released through a suitable uni-directional valve to the bottom of the fluid within the outer containers. The carbon dioxide gas will then bubble up through the liquid and help to charge it so that the carbonated beverage within the container will not become flat.

I have discovered that this method of discharging the gas is unnecessary, and the present apparatus is designed to adapt itself to my discovery. In the first place, the gas is discharged to the outer container from the inner container through apertures 100 at the top of the carbon dioxide tube 62 (see Figure 3). The same construction is used in Figure 1.

These holes are positioned directly adjacent a top flange 102 which holds the tank 62 onto the head 12 in sealed relation. Surrounding the tank 62 at the position of these holes 100 is a rubber band 194 which provides a unidirectional flow through the holes from the inside of the tank 62 to the outer liquid container tank.

I have found that the presence of the CO2 on the surface of the liquid within the tank creates a sufiicient charging action, particularly when the tank is being carried around and the liquid is sloshing about under the pressure and in the presence of the carbonating gas. This method of discharging the gas prevents the creation of large amounts of foam at the surface of the gas which previously collected as a result of the discharge of the gas directly into the liquid.

The pressure which builds up within the containers lit and 62 as a result of the discharge of the CO2 must be relieved. In previous devices it has been necessary to provide a pressure escape valve in the head in order to relieve this pressure, and any deficiency in the operation of the valve caused by sticking or accumulation of foreign matter would present the danger of an explosion.

The present device relieves gas by the operation of the plungers 32. These plungers bearing resiliently against the head 12 will permit lifting of the head to just a sufiicient extent to relieve excess pressure within the liquid container.

It has been found that with three equally spaced plungers around the head, the head will lift and rock just sulficiently to relieve this pressure in a satisfactory manner.

Referring to Figure 4-, it will be seen that the spring 36 is confined to the top by a threaded collar which can be adjusted in the cylinder 30 to regulate the pressure of the spring 36 on the plunger. Thus, the pressure within the containers can be controlled by adjusting the collars iii) an the three cylinders 30 spaced around the head.

It will thus be seen that I have disclosed a cooling and dispensing head for beverages which assists in the charging of the beverages while retaining pressure which causes the discharge through the spouts 64 and 66.

In addition, a simple confining means for the head portion of the containers also provides an adjustable relief means to control the pressure within the containers.

This taken in conjunction with the variable heat flow means provides a unit which is adaptable to all conditions of use.

What I claim is:

1. A dispensing, conditioning and cooling unit for beer and the like comprising a main container, a covering therefor, an inner container for a sublimating coolant, and unidirectional passages at the top of said coolant container for introducing gas from said inner container to the top of the main chamber formed by a cylindrical portion of said inner container apertured in an area between two narrowly spaced planes, and an elastic band overlying said apertures on said cylindrical porlion.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the top for the main container is yieldably fastened on said container to permit the escape of gas reaching a pre-determined pressure within the main container.

3. A dispensing, conditioning and cooling unit for beer and the like comprising a main container, a top for said container, an inner chamber suspended on said top for sublimating coolant, and means selectively to be fastened to said suspended container comprising heatconducting fins, said suspended container having unidirectional outlets above said means for the escape of gas to the main container formed by a cylindrical portion of said inner container apertured in an area between two narrowly spaced planes, and an elastic band overlying said apertures on said cylindrical portion.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 in which the heatconducting means comprises fins shiftable in angular disposition to said suspended container to vary the heat flow from said container.

5. A dispensing, conditioning and cooling unit for beer and the like of the type including a main container for receiving a body of liquid to be conditioned and dispensed, a solid CO2 container mounted on a cover of said main container to be positioned therewithin, and a dispensing conduit leading from said cover, a means for fastening said cover on said main container comprising variable force applying means disposed around the periphery of said cover at substantially equal distances to apply predetermined force holding said cover against the top of said main container, said variable force applying means comprising spring-pressed plungers mounted on said main container and disposed around the periphery of said cover.

6. A dispensing, conditioning and cooling unit for beer and the like of the type including a main container for receiving a body of liquid to be conditioned and dispensed, a solid CO2 container mounted on a cover of said main container to be positioned therewithin, and a dispensing conduit leading from said cover, a means for fastening said cover on said main container comprising variable force applying means disposed around the periphery of said cover at substantially equal distances to apply predetermined force holding said cover against the top of said main container, said variable force applying means comprising spring-pressed plungers pivotally mounted on said main container to move from a position opposite the wall of said container to a position overlying the top of the container and disposed equally around the circumference of the cover.

7. A dispensing, conditioning and cooling unit for beer and the like of the type including a main container for receiving a body of liquid to be conditioned and dispensed, a solid CO2 container mounted on a cover of said main container to be positioned therewithin, and a dispensing conduit leading from said cover, means forming unidirectional passages in said CO2. container adjacent the top of said containers whereby CO2 gas will pass to the main container and be exposed to the surface of liquid contained therein, the CO2 container having uniform longitudinal dimensions at the bottom portion thereof and a shell to slip over said CO2 container in close Wall-towall contact therewith, and heat conducting fins mounted on said shell to carry heat from said CO2 container to a body of liquid in said main container surrounding said CO2 container.

8. A dispensing, conditioning and cooling unit for beer and the like of the type including a main container for receiving a body of liquid to be conditioned and dispensed, a solid CO2 container mounted on a cover of said main container to be positioned therewithin, and a dispensing conduit leading from said cover, means forming uni-directional passages in said CO2 container adjacent the top of said containers whereby CO2 gas will pass to the main container and be exposed to the surface of liquid contained therein, the CO2 container having uniform longitudinal dimensions at the bottom portion thereof and a shell to slip over said CO2 container in close wall-to-wall contact therewith, and heat conducting fins mounted on said shell to carry heat from said CO2 container to a body of liquid in said main container surrounding said CO2 container, said fins being collapsible toward the wall of said slip-on shell to vary the heat exchange capacity of said shell.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,723,070 Payson Aug. 6, 1929 1,983,285 Gloor Dec. 4, 1934 2,074,074 Roren Mar. 16, 1937 2,096,088 Copeman Oct. 19, 1937 2,182,116 Copeman Dec. 5, 1939 2,534,570 Braud Dec. 19, 1950 

